Relative risk in diving

[Julia.S23]

Hi! I'm currently working on a research project surrounding public perception of the risk involved in diving and other sports (for a class), and have been trying to gather more responses from people who have experience diving, as that demographic is much smaller at my school than with most other sports. If you have a few minutes and could take this really quick survey that would help so much! It should take at most 2-3 minutes, and since the questions are very broad you don't have to worry about your responses too much, it's definitely relative to the individual- here's the link:

Perceived Risk Levels in Various Physical Activities:

I'm relatively new to diving and to this forum, so if there's a better area you think I should reach out to I'd appreciate any suggestions, thank you all!!

 

[Celt]

I think you overestimate most peoples ability to be aware of themselves. I have a good friend. He has a couple of hundred dives. On Cozumel, he wanted to go to 130 just to see what it was like. One of the DM's agreed to go with him. At 115 they started further down. Then he wondered why the DM was poking him. He was below 130 and had forgotten to look at his depth anymore. My experience is that I can't remember what the gauges I just looked at said. I have never ended up at a depth that I didn't intend to be at, but I am very convinced that my ability to pay attention decreases with depth.

But you were aware of the fact that you read your gauge. That’s what I’m saying, you will be affected by narcosis deep but your going to be aware of it.

 

[Soloist]

Simply put, it boils down to personal responsibility and self awareness. Having the intellect to comprehend your abilities AND acknowledge your limitations. The “trust me” divers do not have this mindset. They not only put themselves in danger, but those around them. Oh, earlier I posted a chest thumping rant (pun intended) regarding heart attacks that was a bit harsh, but everybody and every body is different.

Example of a trust me diver:
Insta-buddy DECO Diver: What’s NDL?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

There seems to be a commun wisdom in the diving community that we should avoid risk because it will kill you. Diving should be fun and safe. However, the perfection of risk is a very personal thing. The risk itself is not an absolute concept. Some divers will rapidly gear up if there are told there is group of longimanus lurking underwater, a bit like surfers are attracted to the biggest waves. I would not. Other divers like me, enjoy rough conditions, current, surges and even long surface dive in choppy waters. We feel alive, we find it fun but not to point of being dragged miles away in open sea. Some dive solo even at 50 years old plus (what about the risk of heart attack) and feel perfectly safe. Some rec divers have the same routine diving 39 meters or 12 meters while for others below 15 meters is too dangerous. I am not even talking about technical diving, especially cave diving. It is not only a matter of experience and training. It is a matter of perception rooted in ourselves from our life experience, personal fears, comfort under water, personality, scientific knowledge… For example some consider that diving on air is dangerous below 30 meters given the gas density and the CO2 retention. Or that it it is better to dive nitrox (32 I guess not 36) at this depth. Everybody has the same data (Gavin Anthony and Simon J. Mitchell) but not everybody reaches the same conclusion. The mistake that some commentators make is transposing their personal vision of the risk to everybody else. Mistaking absolute and undeniable risk if that exists with perception of what absolute truth is… This does not mean that we should disregard the risks. It’s just a bit more complicated than that.

Unless you live underground, you cannot eliminate risk:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/blue-ice-passing-plane-hole-roof-nepean-1.3500832

 

[dmaziuk]

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I’m not sure if today’s divers are aware of it, but Jacques Cousteau, who co-invented the aqualung, never did endorse the use of pressure gauges to determine the use of the air supply. There is not to my knowledge a photo of him using a pressure gauge either. He endorsed the use of a three-bottle or four-bottle system, with one of the bottles off. The diver knew he was on reserve when he could not breathe and had to turn on the off-cylinder. The sound of the air equalizing into the other cylinders also told the other divers near him that he was on reserve air. In his U.S. Patent, this is even mentioned. There is no mistaking getting low on air with Cousteau’s reserve system.

SeaRat

 

[BRT]

But you were aware of the fact that you read your gauge. That’s what I’m saying, you will be affected by narcosis deep but your going to be aware of it.

I have a lot more experience. I, so far as I know, have always been aware. My friend, nope. He would have kept going.

 

[Celt]

I’m not sure if today’s divers are aware of it, but Jacques Cousteau, who co-invented the aqualung, never did endorse the use of pressure gauges to determine the use of the air supply. There is not to my knowledge a photo of him using a pressure gauge either. He endorsed the use of a three-bottle or four-bottle system, with one of the bottles off. The diver knew he was on reserve when he could not breathe and had to turn on the off-cylinder. The sound of the air equalizing into the other cylinders also told the other divers near him that he was on reserve air. In his U.S. Patent, this is even mentioned. There is no mistaking getting low on air with Cousteau’s reserve system.

SeaRat

We used a similar system with twins, one tank was breathed down and when empty the other was turned on and decanted into the empty one. This was in turn turned off and the other tank used. The second decanting would leave over 50 bar in both tanks.

 

[Dody]

We used a similar system with twins, one tank was breathed down and when empty the other was turned on and decanted into the empty one. This was in turn turned off and the other tank used. The second decanting would leave over 50 bar in both tanks.

If one is unable to watch its gauge in the first place, what make you think that he/ she will pay attention to the second? Like, I still have 100 bars, I can go on.

 

[The Chairman]

There is no mistaking getting low on air with Cousteau’s reserve system.

This is not true. While I didn't use the three mount bottle system as they were too expensive for me, I did dive a j-valve. On more than one occasion, when I went to use the reserve, I found that the switch had already been done. Either I forgot to set it before the dive, or it got bumped during the dive. Fools are an ingenious lot and we'll find ways to circumvent any safety measures. I finally broke down and bought an SPG around the turn of the century. To date, I've yet to run out of air underwater since. Ergo, I prefer a gauge, either on a hose or as part of an integrated PDC.